X'11 Canada Community Roundup
Posted
August 24 2011 by Keadin
Check out more blog postings by Keadin
For those lucky enough to attend late last week, X'11 Canada was an intense showcase of all the great games you can expect to find on the Xbox 360 this holiday. Whether it's slaying dragons in Skyrim, swinging a lightsaber in Star Wars Kinect, or taking down henchmen in Batman: Arkham City there was something for everyone at this year's event. With so many games to play and so little time to see them all I've enlisted the help of the Xbox.ca Community to see which games have got people most excited for.
There's a lot of amazing titles coming out this year, and everyone's got their own personal favourites. Many of them can be seen in the weeks to come at an Xbox 360 Central location near you! Be sure to share your experiences on Twitter and join the conversation with hashtag #XboxCanada.
New X'11 Video
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
While there were a ton of really exciting games at X'11, the one that captured my attention the most is one that's right around the corner. Deus Ex: Human Revolution offers the sort of philosophical quandaries that really get me thinking. The game goes beyond the usual good/evil debate and offers players a chance to decide what they think about cybernetic implants and post-humanism. Do you feel that perfection can only be achieved through the marvels of science, or are we already born as we were meant to? Combine the ethical dilemmas with a complex combat system that lets you choose how you want to handle your enemies, and you've got a game that puts player choice at the forefront of its design.
Rocksmith
This holiday, Rocksmith saves us from having no instrument based music games for the first time since 2007. However, rather than plastic instruments this game is being played on an Epiphone Les Paul Junior and will give gamers an opportunity to tune a real guitar for the first time. Rocksmith aims to be the first Xbox 360 game to teach you how to play guitar, using any real electric guitar you own. Unlike its plastic predecessors, the game has a scalable difficulty which gently eases in a novice into playing guitar for the first time. In addition to this Rocksmith also features a number of mini-games which provide a fun diversion while teaching things like: tremolo strumming, chords, scales, and more. With songs like The Pixies "Where Is My Mind" and Radiohead's "High and Dry" Ubisoft is off to a great start!
Kinect Sports: Season 2
I had a chance to check out Kinect Sports Season 2 and play the new Football and Golf games. In Football you are presented with a variety of plays and using your hand you motion to select one. Once you've called your play it's time to be the quarterback. You can say the words "hike" or stand up and the ball is snapped to you before tossing it down the field to your receiver. After catching the ball it's time to move those legs and get on down field. Kinect Sports Golf is entirely based on the movement of your hands mimicking a golf swing. Putting wasn't that difficult, just line up and make a good stroke. I had a blast playing Kinect Sports Season 2 and I can't wait for the game to launch.
I had a chance to check out Kinect Sports Season 2 and play the new Football and Golf games. In Football you are presented with a variety of plays and using your hand you motion to select one. Once you've called your play it's time to be the quarterback. You can say the words "hike" or stand up and the ball is snapped to you before tossing it down the field to your receiver. After catching the ball it's time to move those legs and get on down field. Kinect Sports Golf is entirely based on the movement of your hands mimicking a golf swing. Putting wasn't that difficult, just line up and make a good stroke. I had a blast playing Kinect Sports Season 2 and I can't wait for the game to launch.
Binary Domain
The upcoming squad-shooter from Sega, looked pretty fun. I'm interested to see how it turns out. It's not releasing until February 2012, but already the dynamic AI is shining. Your own squad members have personal relationships with you that evolve over time, adapting to how you play and interact with them. However, the enemy AI and contextual damage mechanics are my favorite aspect. If you shoot a robot's head off it will move around aimlessly. If you shoot off its foot, it will slowly hobble on the remaining stump. If you shoot off its legs, it will crawl around on its belly. In the short time I had with the game I had way too much fun experimenting with different ways to maim robot adversaries just to see how they would respond.
The upcoming squad-shooter from Sega, looked pretty fun. I'm interested to see how it turns out. It's not releasing until February 2012, but already the dynamic AI is shining. Your own squad members have personal relationships with you that evolve over time, adapting to how you play and interact with them. However, the enemy AI and contextual damage mechanics are my favorite aspect. If you shoot a robot's head off it will move around aimlessly. If you shoot off its foot, it will slowly hobble on the remaining stump. If you shoot off its legs, it will crawl around on its belly. In the short time I had with the game I had way too much fun experimenting with different ways to maim robot adversaries just to see how they would respond.
Grand Slam Tennis 2
It would be easy for me to say that NHL 12 or NBA Jam: On Fire Edition blew me away. They did, but I was expecting them to. The same can be said for Skyrim, Deus Ex, and Batman: Arkham City. We all know those games are going to be awesome. What really stood out to me was EA's Grand Slam Tennis 2. Never has a tennis game looked so polished, and felt so authentic. EA Sports was showing off an early build, with the full version due sometime in 2012. I definitely developed an early love-fest with the aptly named total racket control where your right stick is dedicated to the racket and your left controls the character's body movement. It's re-writing the tennis code, and it feels so right. Also... you get to play with Maria Sharapova. (Sorry, I had to...)
It would be easy for me to say that NHL 12 or NBA Jam: On Fire Edition blew me away. They did, but I was expecting them to. The same can be said for Skyrim, Deus Ex, and Batman: Arkham City. We all know those games are going to be awesome. What really stood out to me was EA's Grand Slam Tennis 2. Never has a tennis game looked so polished, and felt so authentic. EA Sports was showing off an early build, with the full version due sometime in 2012. I definitely developed an early love-fest with the aptly named total racket control where your right stick is dedicated to the racket and your left controls the character's body movement. It's re-writing the tennis code, and it feels so right. Also... you get to play with Maria Sharapova. (Sorry, I had to...)
Skyrim
Seeing Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for the second time since E3 was like going to a high school reunion and seeing that super-hot guy look as good as he did 10 years ago. You think it can't be possible and that time will make him less attractive, but nope; you still want him just as bad. The detail, the colour, the over 100 individually designed caves, the upgraded look of each species – all of it just shows how much time and work Bethesda has put in to developing the world of Skyrim. The new spells and shouts are powerful and exciting, and make me wonder what kind of wonderful carnage can be caused in this game. The fact that they're keeping the story so under wraps just makes me want to play it more! To say I am looking forward to this game doesn't even come close to it, I've never come so close to tackling a demonstrator just so I could get my hands on the controller for a few seconds of game play. Just kidding of course... maybe.
Seeing Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for the second time since E3 was like going to a high school reunion and seeing that super-hot guy look as good as he did 10 years ago. You think it can't be possible and that time will make him less attractive, but nope; you still want him just as bad. The detail, the colour, the over 100 individually designed caves, the upgraded look of each species – all of it just shows how much time and work Bethesda has put in to developing the world of Skyrim. The new spells and shouts are powerful and exciting, and make me wonder what kind of wonderful carnage can be caused in this game. The fact that they're keeping the story so under wraps just makes me want to play it more! To say I am looking forward to this game doesn't even come close to it, I've never come so close to tackling a demonstrator just so I could get my hands on the controller for a few seconds of game play. Just kidding of course... maybe.
Gears of War 3
Without a doubt, my most anticipated game of the year is Gears of War 3. Having been a diehard fan since Gears2, when Epic announced the final installment of this trilogy, I was more than a little excited. I had the opportunity to try out Beast Mode and Horde 2.0 at Xbox Central in Toronto recently, and I can't wait to give them a shot with a full team when the game launches in September. What I love about these modes is the necessity for teamwork and strategy - attempting these modes alone is ill advised. Add all this to a killer campaign and competitive multiplayer modes, and it's easy to see that this will be a must-have game. Gears of War 3 is the smoothest and most polished Gears game to date, and I can't wait to pick it up on September 20th.
Without a doubt, my most anticipated game of the year is Gears of War 3. Having been a diehard fan since Gears2, when Epic announced the final installment of this trilogy, I was more than a little excited. I had the opportunity to try out Beast Mode and Horde 2.0 at Xbox Central in Toronto recently, and I can't wait to give them a shot with a full team when the game launches in September. What I love about these modes is the necessity for teamwork and strategy - attempting these modes alone is ill advised. Add all this to a killer campaign and competitive multiplayer modes, and it's easy to see that this will be a must-have game. Gears of War 3 is the smoothest and most polished Gears game to date, and I can't wait to pick it up on September 20th.
Rocksmith
It would be easy to say that I'm most looking forward to Skyrim or Batman: Arkham City this holiday season, but for me the X'11 standout was actually Ubisoft's Rocksmith. I went into X'11 not knowing much about the title and came out very excited to get my hands on it and give it some serious play time. Taking the music genre of gaming to the next level, Ubisoft is providing a true guitar teacher in a box. For those who can already play a real six-string guitar, you'll be able to dive right into the game and play through the songs provided. For those like me, who have always wanted to learn to play guitar, this is the perfect game to assist with that. Allowing the player to use any guitar with a pickup is another major feat. This game does not require you to use their specified hardware; you can use your own guitar if you have one, and I think that is wonderful. As a fan of music genre of games, I am really excited for Rocksmith where I will finally have an opportunity to fuse my love of gaming with my desire to actually play a real guitar.
It would be easy to say that I'm most looking forward to Skyrim or Batman: Arkham City this holiday season, but for me the X'11 standout was actually Ubisoft's Rocksmith. I went into X'11 not knowing much about the title and came out very excited to get my hands on it and give it some serious play time. Taking the music genre of gaming to the next level, Ubisoft is providing a true guitar teacher in a box. For those who can already play a real six-string guitar, you'll be able to dive right into the game and play through the songs provided. For those like me, who have always wanted to learn to play guitar, this is the perfect game to assist with that. Allowing the player to use any guitar with a pickup is another major feat. This game does not require you to use their specified hardware; you can use your own guitar if you have one, and I think that is wonderful. As a fan of music genre of games, I am really excited for Rocksmith where I will finally have an opportunity to fuse my love of gaming with my desire to actually play a real guitar.
Skyrim
Thar be Dragons in them hills, and those Dragons are absolutely stunning. Suffice it to say, just about everything that was shown in the demo for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim at this year's X'11 Event, was undeniably gorgeous. The action-RPG title is very much in the same vein as the previous game, although this time around everything has been tightened up and given a complete overhaul. Whether you are controlling your character in first person or in third person, the game feels like it should and not just character floating over the terrain as he moves. The visuals are brilliant, the menus are more polished and streamlined, and the combat and spellcasting look and feel much more robust. Oh, and did I mention Dragons? No? Well there are huge Dragons as well. I was never a big fan of Oblivion when it was released a few years back, but Skyrim has its hooks in me and I am eagerly anticipating its arrival.
Thar be Dragons in them hills, and those Dragons are absolutely stunning. Suffice it to say, just about everything that was shown in the demo for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim at this year's X'11 Event, was undeniably gorgeous. The action-RPG title is very much in the same vein as the previous game, although this time around everything has been tightened up and given a complete overhaul. Whether you are controlling your character in first person or in third person, the game feels like it should and not just character floating over the terrain as he moves. The visuals are brilliant, the menus are more polished and streamlined, and the combat and spellcasting look and feel much more robust. Oh, and did I mention Dragons? No? Well there are huge Dragons as well. I was never a big fan of Oblivion when it was released a few years back, but Skyrim has its hooks in me and I am eagerly anticipating its arrival.
RAGE
As I walked through the halls of X'11, the gamer inside of me was overwhelmed by all of the cool games available to be demoed. Out of the great amount of quality games and innovative wares on display, my favourite one would have to be RAGE from id Software and Bethesda Softworks. It's a game I've been eagerly looking forward to since it was first revealed, and with all of the amazing new technology under its proverbial hood, my time spent playing it certainly did not disappoint. The frenetic first-person shooter action is well-tuned, immersive and engaging - not to mention challenging. Its incoming October 4th release date certainly cannot come soon enough, as my inner gamer is counting down the days before it can take another trip into the wasteland.
As I walked through the halls of X'11, the gamer inside of me was overwhelmed by all of the cool games available to be demoed. Out of the great amount of quality games and innovative wares on display, my favourite one would have to be RAGE from id Software and Bethesda Softworks. It's a game I've been eagerly looking forward to since it was first revealed, and with all of the amazing new technology under its proverbial hood, my time spent playing it certainly did not disappoint. The frenetic first-person shooter action is well-tuned, immersive and engaging - not to mention challenging. Its incoming October 4th release date certainly cannot come soon enough, as my inner gamer is counting down the days before it can take another trip into the wasteland.
